Highlights by Socioeconomic Status

Ethical perceptions of political parties differ across socioeconomic groups in Canada, though a consistent pattern in party rankings remains. Among lower-class respondents, the NDP receives the highest POLIS score at 3.14, followed by the Liberal Party at 3.02, and the Conservative Party at 2.39. These scores suggest that economically vulnerable Canadians view the NDP as the most ethically aligned party, particularly on values such as fairness, benevolence, and accountability. The Liberals also perform relatively well, while the Conservatives lag significantly.

Among middle-class respondents, the same ranking holds, though the margins narrow. The NDP remains the highest-rated party with a POLIS score of 3.10, followed closely by the Liberal Party at 3.05. The Conservative Party improves slightly with a score of 2.59, though it still trails its competitors. These results indicate that while the NDP continues to lead on perceived ethical credibility, the Liberals maintain a strong reputation across economic lines. The Conservatives gain some ground among the middle class, particularly on competence and legitimacy, but remain lower on other values.

The most interesting results come from the upper-class group, where the Liberal Party leads with a POLIS score of 3.24, followed closely by the NDP at 3.16, and the Conservatives at 2.33. This group gives the highest ratings to the Liberals, particularly on competence, legitimacy, and accountability. The NDP still performs well, suggesting that ethical perceptions of the party cut across class lines, though it may be seen as slightly less capable or institutionally grounded by wealthier Canadians. The Conservatives, once again, receive the lowest score.

Across all SES groups, the NDP consistently earns high marks on values tied to fairness, benevolence, and ethical leadership, while the Liberals show strength on legitimacy, competence, and institutional trust. The Conservatives show only modest variation across SES levels, with their best score in the middle class and their lowest among the upper class. These patterns suggest that while the NDP and Liberals appeal to different ethical dimensions, both are broadly perceived as ethically credible across socioeconomic backgrounds.

Overall, the data suggest that socioeconomic status influences the intensity—but not the direction—of ethical evaluations of political parties. The NDP is consistently seen as the most ethically trustworthy, especially by lower-income Canadians, while the Liberal Party gains strength among higher-income respondents. The Conservative Party trails across all three groups, indicating a continued challenge in public perceptions of ethical alignment. These results underscore how financial position and class identity may shape views of political integrity and trust, as measured by the POLIS Index.